@tessamaethompson wants Hollywood to reconsider the kinds of stories it’s willing to tell. Conversations about diversity very rarely consider “diversity of idea, thought, or presentation,” she tells @laurenmichelejackson in our August 2022 cover story. “And for me, it’s not enough that we get to exist in frames.” With a thriving production company, @vivamaude, plus forthcoming adaptations of Luster and The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, Thompson is challenging what “inclusive” and “inventive” mean in the film industry. Photographer: @collierschorrstudio Stylist: @samiranasr Assisted by @alexdelifer Creative Director: @lauragenninger Hair: @lacyredway Makeup: @romyglow Manicure: @ginaedwards_ Production: Eric Jacobson at @henstoothproductions Set Design: @itsmeiansaltersworld Story by: @laurenmichelejackson Entertainment Director: @angcutt @leahchernikoff @nicolefritton @menamorado @nikkiogun @harpersbazaarus #theperformanceissue